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Apple Releases 'Second' iOS 12.4 Public Beta for iPhone to Software Testers

May 20, 2019 05:43 PM

May 28, 2019 08:55 PM

Software update notification on a smartphone.

Public beta testers, you're in luck. Apple just released the second iOS 12.4 public beta today, May 20. The update comes five days after the release of the first developer beta for iOS 12.4 and seven days after the release of iOS 12.3. Public beta 2 and dev beta 2 were both released at the same time, something that doesn't happen often.

If you're confused to see public beta 2, you're not alone. Apple didn't release a public version of iOS 12.4 beta 1 and, for whatever reason, decided to name the first public beta of 12.4 "public beta 2." Perhaps Apple wanted to stay consistent with the dev beta releases, however, this naming is sure to confuse.

Update: Apple's iOS 12.4 Public Beta 3 Now Available for iPhone

It doesn't appear that iOS 12.4 public beta 2 adds any new features to iOS 12.4. In addition, there don't seem to be any new features in 12.4 in general — other than the beginnings of the upcoming Apple Card — and any bug fixes that are included are still a mystery. Beta 2's release notes are identical to beta 1's, which offer very little insight into how iOS 12.4 differs from previous versions:

Overview
The iOS 12.2 SDK provides support for developing iOS apps for iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch devices running iOS 12.4. The SDK comes bundled with Xcode 10.2.1 available from the Mac App Store. For information on the compatibility requirements for Xcode 10.2.1, see Xcode 10.2.1 Release Notes.
General
There are no SDK release notes for this software update.

To download and update your iPhone to iOS 12.4 public beta 2, you'll first need to be a public beta tester with a valid configuration profile. If you have iOS 12's "Automatic Updates" enabled, you can let the software update overnight. To install right away, head to Settings –> General –> Software Update –> Download and Install, then follow the prompts.

Software update notification on a mobile device.

Apple Releases 'Second' iOS 12.4 Public Beta for iPhone to Software Testers

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Cover image by Jake Peterson/Gadget Hacks, screenshots by Justin Meyers/Gadget Hacks

The next big software update for iPhone is coming sometime in April and will include a Food section in Apple News+, an easy-to-miss new Ambient Music app, Priority Notifications thanks to Apple Intelligence, and updates to apps like Mail, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari. See what else is coming to your iPhone with the iOS 18.4 update.